Parking challenged? There's an app for that

LONG BEACH: The open-air surface parking lot operated by City Group at the Pacific Tower at the northwest corner of East Broadway and Long Beach Boulevard in Long Beach. JOSH MORGAN, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Schwager’s data company is behind the mobile parking app Parker. Dozens of these apps have been popping up, promising an improved parking experience using different methods. Some offer immediate data on parking availability at nearby garages, lots or street meters. Others focus on mobile payments or reserving parking spaces ahead of time.

A few, seeking to capitalize on drivers departing from public parking spaces, have even provoked the highly publicized ire of San Francisco’s city attorney.

“Technology has given rise to many laudable innovations in how we live and work – and Monkey Parking is not one of them,” San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera said in a press release accompanied by a cease-and-desist letter aimed at the aforementioned parking app and calling out two others by name.

Drivers are so obsessed with parking, there are even countless apps for parking games, including Parking Madness, which has more than 60,000 downloads in the Google Play Store. The description notes that “car enthusiasts will be sucked into this addictive game,” featuring 75 levels, three vehicles and a realistic steering feature as the highlight.

Here’s a look at five parking apps (for real cars) available in Southern California.

PARKER

What it does:Directs you to the closest available parking spots using real-time parking guidance.

Parker’s parent, Streetline Inc., is not so much a parking-app company as it is a real-time tracking specialist, says Schwager. In addition to parking information, Streetline “can also capture temperature and sound and pollution data” from sensors across a city, Schwager says. She adds that Streetline feeds its data to merchants or others who might want to integrate real-time parking information into their services or websites. The company also has been working with some automakers (she won’t disclose which) to integrate their parking data into a vehicle’s GPS system.

Features/Information:

• Voice-assisted guidance to the closest space.

• Lists rates and hours.

• Maps availability of street parking on a block shown as “little,” “some” or “lots” or by price (high to low).

Schwager notes that even though parking “events” are transmitted to Streetline in real time, “the speed we can communicate that to a consumer might vary” since the company is verifying whether a spot is really available or a driver is “pulling over for a phone call.”

Sources include: Sensors on street parking spaces, video cameras, parking garages and lots both with and without sensors, according to Schwager.

Availability:L.A., O.C. (no real-time information in O.C. yet).

App Cost: Free.

App type:Available for iPhone and Android devices.

BESTPARKING

What it does:Steers users to the cheapest and most convenient parking lots and garages.

BestParking takes an old-fashioned approach to getting its data. On-the-ground surveyors visit each facility three to four times per year to update the app’s database, according to founder and CEO Ben Sann. “They take photos and ask the attendants about the clearance height,” and other details, Sann says.

BestParking encourages users to report inaccurate information in exchange for a $5 eGift for Starbucks. Click on a button inside the app, take photo evidence of the incorrect information, add a description, your email and voila – you’re on your way to a skinny latte for your trouble.

Features/Information:

• Displays maps using icons with a range of colors showing cheapest to most expensive options.

What it does:Helps drivers reserve and pay for parking, particularly for events like concerts or sporting events. “We’re focused on the experience” (of reserving and paying), says CEO Aashish Dalal. “You don’t care if there are 20 lots around you, so long as you find the one that fits your needs.”

Features/Information:

• Reserve and pay ahead of time.

• Shows garage and lot amenities such as security, valet, if it’s attended at all times and photos.

Sources include:Parking-facilities operators.

Availability: Events in L.A., O.C.

App Cost: Free.

App type: Available for iPhone and Android.

PARKING PANDA

What it does: Allows consumers to reserve and pay for parking in advance. Parking Panda has partnered with MLB.com and professional sports teams to arrange parking at nearby lots for events, says spokesman Bryan Lozano. It also works with downtown L.A. art gallery The Hive, which has a Parking Panda reservation link and map embedded in its site.

Features/Information:Mobile payments. Includes details such as whether a facility has on-site staff, valet, photos and hours.

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